England Players Raise Eyebrows With World Cup Preparation Tactic

The England men’s national team arrived in West Palm Beach for their 2026 FIFAWorld Cup training earlier this week.

Training in the Florida heat will be just as crucial as any tactical practice, given the forecasted conditions in several of the 16 United States host cities.

“England players are set to use high-tech palm-cooling devices in the United States to help combat heat during the World Cup,” BBC Sport’s Sami Mokbel wrote Friday.

“Research shows that cooling the palms can significantly lower core body temperature which can prove vital for in-game recovery and ultimately enhance performance,” Mokbel noted. “It is understood England will use them in training sessions and during the planned water breaks during World Cup matches.”

According to NPR, 67 of the 104 matches will take place “at locations and times that come with potential danger for heat illnesses,” with 39 matches considered high risk.

England will open its World Cup run against Croatia at AT&T Stadium - home of the Dallas Cowboys - on June 17. The forecast for Arlington, Texas, shows a high of 90 with a “realfeel” of 97 degrees on June 17, but AT&T has a roof, so that shouldn’t be a problem.

England will continue Group L play against Ghana at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on June 23, before facing Panama at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on June 27.

England reached the quarterfinal in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and the expectation is for this squad to equal or best that result over the next month. England holds the third-best odds to win the nation’s first World Cup since 1966.

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This story was originally published June 6, 2026 at 12:17 AM.